A negotiation is not decided on the figure. It is decided on the list of what is included, and that list is written before the conversation.
Before the conversation
Three things to know, otherwise you negotiate blind.
Where the video will run: the brand's account, paid advertising, website, outdoor. That determines the price far more than the length of the edit.
How many people approve. Each additional approver adds a round trip, therefore unbilled time.
And the client's real calendar. A campaign going out in ten days does not have the same relationship to price as a campaign with no date.
Ask those three questions before announcing anything. They cost nothing and they change the quote.
The four answers that protect your price
They are always the same, and they can be prepared.
"That is a lot for us"
Answer: offer a smaller version instead of a discount. Fewer files, fewer formats, a shorter rights duration. The price falls because the service falls, and your reference rate stays intact.
"The next campaign will be bigger"
Answer: accept, in writing. The reduced rate applies to this order, the normal rate applies to the next, and the sentence appears in the quote. A verbal promise has never come true on its own.
"Another creator charges us half"
Answer: ask what their quote contains. In almost every case, the rights, the formats or the revisions are missing. The comparison is made at equal scope, otherwise it means nothing.
"Can we also use it in advertising?"
Answer: yes, and it is a separate line. It is the most frequent question and the most expensive if accepted in passing.
The request specific to agencies
It comes back almost every time, in a polite form.
The agency asks for a preferential rate on the grounds of future volume, or for category exclusivity with nothing in return, or for unlimited revisions "to keep things smooth".
The answer is the same in all three cases: price the request instead of refusing it. A sliding rate from a certain number of videos, exclusivity charged as a percentage, extra revisions at a unit price. A priced request becomes a decision, and the decision belongs to the client.
The administrative detail
It weighs more than people think in a negotiation.
A supplier who sends a clear quote, a compliant invoice and their administrative documents without being asked gets their price more easily, because they cost less to process.
The mandatory statements, your regime and what must appear on the document depend on your situation and are checked with an accountant, once and for all.
What is negotiated other than price
| Lever | What you ask for | What the brand gains |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | Three videos instead of one | A lower unit price |
| Deadline | Two extra days | No cost, often granted |
| The licence | Six months instead of unlimited | A reduced rate |
What you say when the budget is too low
Offer a version that fits that budget: fewer videos, a shorter licence, or a shoot grouped with another order.
What is never bargained down
Unlimited revisions and free exclusivity. Both cost time and future refusals, and return nothing in exchange.
When to say no
Three cases, and the refusal is stated with an alternative.
When the price offered does not cover the real time, exchanges included.
When nothing is written about the rights.
And when the client asks for free work "to see if it works". Offer a short paid order instead. Many accept, and those who refuse would not have paid for what came next.
